
mass . 9f5 

Book JH-S.1 

CopightN 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



Jnunmjttuj ©rotrari 



Copyrighted 1908 by 
Lillian De Waters 

Mount Vernon, N. Y. 
All Rights Reserved 



JOURNEYING 
ONWARD 



BY 

Lillian De Waters 



published by 

Lillian Dr Waters 

No. 10 North Tenth Avenue 

MOUNT VERNON, N. Y. 






l<foS 



LIBRARY ot CONGRESS 

1 wo Copies Kecesvee 

JUL 8 . W08 

CLASS. ^ AXc. flu 

2 ' ^"73 '-t 

COPY S. 



PREFACE. 

FOR those who are hungering after a 
better understanding of God, and 
for those who need to be led to 
Christian Science, this book is 
sent into the world. 

The author wishes to state emphatically 
that the truths contained herein have 
been gained wholly through an earnest 
study of the Bible and of the writings of 
Mary Baker G. Eddy, the beloved founder 
of the modern Christian Science move- 
ment, originally founded by Christ Jesus. 

Christian Science is taught in the 
Christian Science text book, "Science and 
Health with Key to the Scriptures," and 
it would be impossible for one to simplify 
or amplify the truth contained therein. 
Hence, the author's purpose in sending 
forth this little book is neither to teach 
nor to explain that which our dear Leader 



has given to the world, but it is sent forth 
with the simple wish that it may find a 
welcome in answering some of the ques- 
tions which were perplexing to the author 
and which may be perplexing to thousands 
of others brought up under the types of 
religious teachings, which have been 
widely prevalent in recent centuries, and 
are largely followed at the present. 

Lillian De Waters. 



JOURNEYING ONWARD. 



"^■^ERTAINLY we believe in the 
I Bible," said the Christian Scien- 

V*_** tist, as she looked into the face 
of a minister whom she had re- 
cently met, as their train was rapidly- 
speeding along on its journey. 

"There never was so inconsistent a peo- 
ple/' began the minister, "as Christian 
Scientists. They twist passages in the Bi- 
ble to suit themselves, and declare that 
there is no such thing as sickness, sin and 
death, while all around us are those who 
are weary, heavy-laden with sickness, in 
the depths of despair, and dying in count- 
less numbers." Pausing a moment, he went 
on: "They tell the poor, that there is no 
poverty ; the sick, that there is no pain ; and 
they console the mourner with the state- 
ment that there is no such thing as death." 
"Have you finished?" said the girl, as 
she turned her face toward him. He saw 
a smiling face, aglow with health and an- 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

imation, and he noted the bright, joyous 
expression. 

"No," he replied, "I have much that I 
would like to say to you; and if I am 
wrong in the thoughts which I just ex- 
pressed, I would indeed be grateful if you 
would correct me." 

The Scientist was glad to hear the ring 
of sincerity in his voice. "I do not believe 
in arguing," she returned, "but when one 
asks for information regarding Christian 
Science, I am glad, as far as I am able, to 
correct any erroneous ideas which he or 
she may have on the subject. As I just 
said to you, we believe in the Bible. Now 
let us reason together and see if we can- 
not untangle some of these apparent 'in- 
consistencies/ Of course you are familiar 
with the first chapter of Genesis?" 

"I have been reading it for forty years," 
answered the minister. 

"Very good," said the girl, with an 
amused look. "Who is spoken of in this 
chapter as our only Creator?" 

"God." 

10 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"Has there ever been any other Cre- 
ator ?" 

"Never. 'All things were made by him; 
and without him was not anything made 
that was made ;' " replied the minister, 
quoting from the first chapter of John. 

"Yes," agreed the Scientist, "every- 
thing was created, and God's work was 
finished, so that nothing was made after 
that; for, you know, it reads, 'And God saw 
everything that he had made, and, behold, it was 
very good* So we have a list in this 
chapter of all that God made. It was all 
'good' and His work was finished. ,, 

"Certainly," returned the minister. 
"We agree precisely; I see no point of dif- 
ference there." 

"But, perhaps you may," said the girl, 
with a little nod. "Man was created spir- 
itually, 'male and female' Is there any 
record there of sin, sickness and death 
being attached to him?" 

"No," with a little uneasiness. 

"Do you know of any medicines created 
or specified for man?" 

1 1 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"N-o, but—" 

"Now, we will have no 'buts' just yet," 
said the girl, smiling. "You admit, then, 
that God did not create sin, sickness and 
death, and did not provide material reme- 
dies for man's welfare and comfort?" 

"Well, there is no record made of it 
there," began the minister, "but, we know 
that sin came with the serpent; and, 
surely," he continued with spirit, "there is 
enough of medicine, of sickness and death 
around you, to know that they exist, and 
you have just said that God is the only 
Creator." 

"Yes," she replied, thoughtfully. "I 
have been led to see and to prove that 
truth. You acknowledge that God made 
all, and that there is no record of sickness 
in the record of creation. Now will you 
tell me, If He made all, and pronounced 
all good, and if there is no other Creator, 
who created sickness?" 

Her steady, clear gaze made him feel 
that he was in a corner; but, endeavoring 
to appear at ease, he hastened to speak 

I 2 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"Suppose we should admit, for the 
sake of argument, that God did not 
create sickness; even then, we must ac- 
knowledge that He allows or permits it, 
for the furtherance of good in His people, 
or for the sake of bringing them closer 
within the bounds of His infinite love and 
compassion." 

"If God does not create sickness/' said 
the Christian Scientist, slowly, "where 
does He get it, in order to send it upon His 
children?" 

The man plainly looked embarrassed. 

"Why," he began, "that is a very queer 
way of looking at it. I had never thought 
of it in that light ; but," he continued, 
"there is a power, you must admit, which 
we call evil." 

"Do you mean a personal devil?" ques- 
tioned the girl. 

"Well, er — " fumbling with his coat 
lapel, feeling that he might be entrapped 
again. "Why, yes." 

"Who made him?" inquired the girl. 

"Why, evil has existed since the begin- 
ning of the world!" 

13 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"But," exclaimed the girl, "you have al- 
ready admitted that God made all, every- 
thing, and that it was good!" 

The minister felt that he was getting 
none the best of his fair companion, but he 
replied in good faith : "Well, of this I am 
sure, that evil and sin exist. If they did 
not come from God, they must proceed 
from some other source." 

"Yes, we agree there," said the girl, 
warmly, "but our point of difference is 
with regard to the 'source.' " 

"In your religion, do you believe that 
God does not send sickness?" asked the 
minister. 

"Yes," answered the girl. "If I thought 
that God sent sickness, I should not try to 
get well ; for it would not be wise for me to 
try to get rid of anything that God want- 
ed me to have. In fact, it would be a sin." 

"H'm. Do you think that God allows or 
permits sickness?" continued the man, his 
voice betraying his interest. 

"I have been fully convinced that He 
does not," answered the Scientist. "How 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

could God, the only Creator, be conscious 
of that of which He is not the author?" 

"You do not mean to say," exclaimed 
the minister, "that you believe that the 
All-knowing knows nothing of our sick- 
nesses, pains and sorrows!" 

"Yes," answered the girl, "that is what 
I believe. c Thou art of purer eyes than to 
behold evil! ''God is light and in kim is no 
darkness at all,' " — quoting the familiar 
verses to him. Feeling that the minister 
had a goodly list of questions on hand, 
after a moment's thought the Scientist re- 
marked in a gentle way: "I would not have 
you believe that I am didactic. As you ask 
your questions in good faith, I can but an- 
swer them; but I can not forbear telling 
you that you will find the answers to all 
your questions in the Christian Science 
text book, 'Science and Health with Key 
to the Scriptures! written by Mary Baker 
G. Eddy, I have answered your questions 
only through the understanding I have 
gained by an earnest study of that book." 

"I promise to bear that in mind, if you 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

will but go on with the conversation. I 
am sure you will not refuse to talk with 
me if I assure you that I really have a great 
desire to gain information regarding a 
number of questions," said the minister, in 
an appreciative tone. "I believe I was 
going to ask you, before you interrupted 
me," he went on, eagerly, "Since God 
knows everything, why does He not know 
sickness?" 

Feeling now that the right understand- 
ing existed between them, and remember- 
ing that happy hour when some one had 
lovingly pointed out the way to her, she 
hastened to answer: 

"You know, love is not conscious of 
hate; truth does not know a lie; and light 
does not recognize darkness ; so God, who 
fills all space, can know nothing but His 
own glorious brightness." 

"But you cannot tell the sick that God 
knows nothing of their pain; the sinner 
that God knows nothing of his sin; and the 
mourner that God knows nothing of his 
loss!" 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"Through the teachings of Christian 
Science, we have learned to tell the sick 
that God is Love, filling all space, and that 
man, as the image of God, is spiritual and 
perfect ; that in God man lives, moves and 
has his being. Hence, he reflects and 
manifests only what is in God — and the 
sick are healed. To the sinner, we say, 
'Come, learn of God, who knows man only 
as His perfect child; learn that sin has no 
power to bind man; learn through Chris- 
tian Science how to exercise dominion over 
sin, to loathe it, and to find that man is 
master and not the servant of sin/ ' 

The minister was listening with great 
eagerness, but he noticed that she was 
looking at him, yet far beyond him, as she 
continued. 

"The mourner learns in Christian Sci- 
ence, that God is Life, and that Life can- 
not cause death. He learns that the heav- 
enly Father does not snatch the babe from 
its mother's loving arms, nor make the in- 
fant fatherless. He learns that joy, hap- 
piness, harmony, life and peace are the 

»7 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

only real, true, normal conditions of man." 

"Do you believe, " interrupted the min- 
ister, "that God does not take the babe to 
Himself, does not call the father home, — in 
fact, that God does not take us from this 
sin-sick world to rest and peace?" 

"I believe that God is not the author of 
death," answered the girl, "that He does 
not cause it nor permit it, any more than 
the principle of mathematics causes one to 
make a mistake in addition." 

"Do you want me to believe," exclaimed 
the man, "that if this train should be 
wrecked, and I should be killed, God 
would not take me to His eternal home?" 

"Do you think that an accident could 
push you into the kingdom of heaven?" re- 
turned the Scientist, quietly. "We live in 
eternity now; we partake of heavenly 
bliss, only as we learn to destroy sickness, 
sin and death, in the manner that the dear 
Master taught us. Death never trans- 
ferred anyone into heaven; for death, you 
remember St. Paul said, is an 'enemy/ " 

The calm, sweet voice of the talker 

13 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

made him provoked at his own irritability 
over the last words he had heard; yet he 
could not refrain from begging her to go 
on with her explanation. 

"People have been taught to say, * Thy 
will be done,' " the Scientist continued, in 
answer to his question, "and instead of 
knowing that God's will is health, har- 
mony and eternal life, they think that it is 
God's will for them to be on a bed of pain, 
and afterwards to be taken from their 
loved ones. Does it please God to have 
man suffer years of agonizing pain, in 
order to prepare him for heaven? or to kill 
a man by some inconceivably brutal ac- 
cident, in order to usher him into har- 
mony? I was amazed and pained the other 
day, when I saw a little boy gaze out of 
the window, as a funeral procession 
was going by. He ran to his mother, 
exclaiming, 'Oh, Mama! God has killed 
someone else!' The mother looked at 
me, horrified to hear her boy express 
such a thought. She explained to me, 
that, a few days previous, one of her 

19 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

son's little playmates had died, and, of 
course, she had told her boy that God had 
taken him. How natural it was, then, for 
the child to think as he did ! Then again, 
I read the other day of a man taking a 
quantity of poison, supposing it to be 
cough medicine. Afterwards, it ap- 
peared in the obituary, 'Whereas it hath 
pleased God to take our beloved brother'; 
yet, within a few weeks, the family 
brought a suit against the druggist, for 
not labeling the bottles correctly. Can 
you not see the utter inconsistency ?" 
asked the girl, earnestly. 

"It reads in Job, ' The Lord gave, and 
the Lord hath taken away! Can you tell 
me how Christian Science explains that?" 
he said, in reply to her question. 

"In proportion as we know God as Life, 
Truth, and Love, we receive happiness, 
peace and health; while sorrow, discord 
and sickness are taken away from us — are 
destroyed," said the girl, simply. "As I un- 
understand the Bible, now," she continued, 
lovingly clasping her Bible in her hand, 

20 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"I know it does not mean that, because 
God gives us life, He therefore claims or 
exercises the right to take it from 
us at any moment. You must know that 
God cannot make a mistake. What He 
gives us is given forever and nothing in 
the whole universe can take it from us. 
You know it says in the Bible: ' Whatso- 
ever God doetk y it shall be forever; nothing 
can be put to it, nor anything taken from 
it.' Through Christian Science, I have 
been enabled to see that it is only our ig- 
norance of God that makes us believe that 
we lose health and life ; for the right under- 
standing of God proves that man is for- 
ever at one with Him, reflecting all that 
is in Him and nothing else." Pausing a 
moment, she asked, "For what purpose 
was Jesus sent into the world ?" 

"He came to save sinners; yet, you say 
there is no sin!" said the minister, think- 
ing now that he was scoring a point. 

"Jesus was the way, and we can gain 
the right understanding of God only as 
we follow in his steps. The Master was 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

our highest instructor of Truth. He came 
to save us from believing in sin, sickness 
and death ; and those who are following in 
his steps are destroying these conditions 
as he did and are giving God the glory." 

"But," interrupted the minister, "do you 
Scientists not declare that you heal the 
sick?" 

"No," she replied, quickly, "God, Truth, 
is the only healer of the sick. The Scien- 
tist must know the Truth in order that the 
manifestation of sickness may be removed. 
The Scientist is only the channel through 
which the Truth reaches the patient, — as 
this pane of glass," she said, tapping the 
window at her side, "is the medium 
through which the light of the sun 
reaches us." 

"But," protested the minister, "if God 
knows nothing of sickness, how can He 
heal it? Surely one cannot destroy that 
which he knows nothing about!" 

"Understanding does not know ignor- 
ance," replied the Scientist, "yet it de- 
stroys it; nor does light have to know 

22 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

darkness in •rder that darkness be re- 
moved. Darkness cannot exist in the pres- 
ence of light; so, sin, sickness and death 
cannot remain with one who has gained 
the spiritual light, the true understanding 
of God." 

"I understood you to say, that there is 
no sickness," persisted the man. 

The girl did not seem at all disturbed 
by his persistency, or by his mani- 
fested interest, but replied with great pa- 
tience to all his questions. 

"I admit that sickness seems real to the 
sufferer; yet it is not a reality, a truth, a 
right or normal condition of man. It is not 
real or eternal, because it can be destroyed; 
only that exists as a reality which cannot 
be destroyed. Black, you know, is not ad- 
mitted to be a color, for it reflects no light. 
We know that the condition called sick- 
ness exists all around us as you say, but 
the Truth of God, as revealed to the world 
through Mrs. Eddy, removes this condi- 
tion, and the real, harmonious i&ci of 
health appears in its stead." 

23 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"Now, do you mind telling me," asked 
the minister, "where you are taught 
whence sickness comes ?" He was de- 
termined to get at the root of the matter. 

"Jesus virtually called sickness the work 
of the devil," answered the girl, "for, 
you remember, he came to 'destroy the 
works of the devil! and he very frequent- 
ly destroyed sickness." 

"But, you believe that there is no devil !" 

"The only devil that one may know is 
the belief of evil in one's own thought," 
returned the girl, quietly. 

"Then do you mean to say, that sick- 
ness can be traced back to one's own con- 
sciousness?" the minister questioned. 

"I have learned," answered the girl, 
"that fear, ignorance and sin, promote sin, 
sickness and death; that their cause exists 
in the human mind, and it has been 
proven," she added, positively, "that their 
cure is by the divine Mind." 

"On what basis do you argue that sin is 
the cause of sickness?" pursued the minis- 
ter. 

24 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

"You will remember Jesus' words to the 
impotent man, ' Sin no more> lest a 
worse thing come unto thee;' and to the 
sick of the palsy, 'For whether is it easier, 
to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, 
Arise and walk ?'" 

"Yes," replied the man, thoughtfully, 
"but you will remember, too, that Jesus 
said, ' They that be whole need not a physician, 

but they that are sick! He declared there 
that the sick needed a physician, rather 
than one to tell them of their sin." 

"I am surprised," returned the Scientist, 
gently, "that a minister should under- 
stand that chapter so little as to neglect 
considering Jesus' explanation of those 
words ; for in the very next verse he adds, 
4 But go ye and learn what that(s2ifmg)meanethy . . . 
for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners 
to repentance! It is the true physician who 
heals the sin as well as the sickness; who 
removes the cause, rather than spends his 
time in trying to remove the effect. It is 
a Christian act to clothe and comfort the 
poor; but is it not more Christ-like to heal 

25 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

the disease which causes the poverty? 
You may console one who is fearful that 
some disease is developing in his system, 
yet, is it not more Christ-like to destroy 
the fear in that person's thought, thereby 
preventing the development of the dis- 
ease ?" 

"You are bound to meet everyone of my 
arguments, aren't you?" laughingly ex- 
claimed the minister. "Of course, I can- 
not now agree with all that you say; yet, 
there seems to be a world of truth in it all," 
he added thoughtfully. "Now I would like 
very much to talk with you about prayer. 
I have heard so many times that you peo- 
ple do not pray — at least, that you do not 
pray as we do." 

"Which would you think prayed the 
more understandingly, the man who be- 
sought God to direct him to a climate 
that would help him to get rid of 
some disease, or the man who had been 
enabled to understand God well enough 
so that he could live in any climate, 
since God is everywhere? the man who 

26 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

trusts the physician to heal him, or the 
one who relies absolutely upon God, at- 
tributing to Him alone all power?" 

"But, we place God behind the physi- 
cian !" he exclaimed. 

"And we place God before the physi- 
cian!*' the girl returned, joyously. 

"Yes," the minister said, very thought- 
fully, as if the admission cost him some- 
thing. "Certainly the results which Chris- 
tian Scientists bring out in their own lives, 
speak for themselves. But how are you 
taught to pray in Christian Science, if you 
do not pray as we do ?" 

"You see," the girl explained, "you and 
I have different conceptions of God." 

"Yes, I begin to see that," admitted the 
man, good humoredly. 

"The 'much magnified man' thought of 
God is a thing of the past to us. It says on 
page 140 of our Christian Science text 
book ' The Christian Science God is universal^ 
eternal, divine Love, which changeth not 
and causeth no evil, disease nor death! 
So I am learning through this book, that 

27 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

God is an infinite, perfect, changeless 
Being, having all power, all knowledge, 
and filling all space." 

"Do you never think of God as having 
personality?" the minister asked. 

"Can you limit the Infinite," returned 
the girl, "to place or space? God is a liv- 
ing Principle, controlling, maintaining 
and governing man and the universe, har- 
moniously. Some people pray to God for 
some desired thing, and immediately won- 
der whether they will receive it or not. 
They argue with themselves, that it could 
not come this way or that, until they are 
convinced that it would be impossible for 
it to come at all." 

The girl paused, but the minister looked 
at her to go on. 

"Jesus said, ' Have faith that whatsoever 
ye ask for in prayer is already granted 
you, and it will be yours! This is as it ap- 
pears in the Twentieth Century New Test- 
ament. Jesus also said, 'All that the 
Father hath is mine! Many a man begs 
and pleads with God to answer his pray- 

28 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

ers, as a child pleads with his father to 
grant a certain request. No prayer uttered 
since the world began has ever changed 
God, since He is unchangeable, 'the same 
yesterday, and to-day and forever! The Chris- 
tian Science prayer is a realization of pos- 
session, rather than a thought of need. 
We are taught to affirm, as children of 
God, as heirs of Him, that man 
possesses that which God possesses. His 
goodness, His abundance, His power, 
His strength, His infinite blessings are 
ours now. By knowing this, and by 
scientifically declaring that their oppo- 
sites — sin, poverty, sickness and misery — 
are false because they are not in God, and 
do not testify of Him; by scientifically un- 
derstanding these spiritual truths we 
are brought into such a consciousness 
of the allness of God that we behold and 
receive the manifestations of our desires 
or prayers." 

"Go on," he said, as the girl hesitated. 
"I love to hear you talk. You are a verita- 
ble preacher. You have not always had 

this idea of God?" 

29 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

The girl shook her head regretfully. 
"When I was a child, I used to wonder 
how God could ever hear so many prayers. 
If a million people were praying at the 
same time, for a million different things, I 
wondered how He could ever hear them, 
let alone answer them!" 

"I know you can explain it now," said 
the minister, eagerly. 

"The principle of mathematics," the girl 
replied, "so beautifully illustrates the 
Principle of life. Should a million people 
sit down at the same time, and call upon 
the principle of mathematics to help them 
work out a problem, they would find it 
ready to help each of them bring about 
the correct answer, just as if only one were 
using that principle. So it is with us; we 
can each bring our problems to the di- 
vine Source of all knowledge, whether 
they be problems of sickness, sin 
or discord; and by applying, through 
the teachings of Christian Science, the 
correct rules, the right answers or re- 
sults are attained. In solving a prob- 

3° 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

iem in mathematics, should we fail to get 
the correct result, we should not sit down 
and ask or beseech the principle to help 
us; nor should we find fault with the prin- 
ciple and rules and seek to change them. 
We should know at once that the fault was 
wholly within ourselves, that the failure 
was occasioned by some mistake in our 
work, or because we did not sufficiently 
understand the necessary steps." 

"Then, do I understand that you do not 
ask God for anything, but simply en- 
deavor to do the work yourself?" ques- 
tioned the minister. 

"Jesus said, l I can of mine own self do noth- 
ing' God's work is finished. We try to see 
so clearly the scientific truth that good fills 
all space, that all errors or mistakes go 
out of our thought and consequently their 
manifestations disappear." 

"Yet, I cannot see why you do not ask 
for things!" said the man, desiring to be 
satisfied. 

"You would not sit down at a table filled 
with food and beg for something to eat, 
31 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

would you? Nor would you sit in a room 
flooded with light, and ask that you might 
be able to see?" 

"N-o— " 

"So," the girl concluded, "we realize that 
abundance of blessings is now within our 
reach; and instead of longing for them, 
and weeping because we think that they 
are not ours, we have learned how to par- 
take of them." 

"Then, you do not put your prayer 
thoughts into words?" he pursued, earn- 
estly. 

"Silently and mentally we commune 
with our Father-Mother God," the girl 
replied gently. "We do not seek to bring 
God to us, but we go to God. We strive 
to be in tune, in touch or harmony, with 
divine Love, that we may behold the 'fin- 
ished work.' This scientific, mental work 
leads one heavenward." After a mo- 
ment's thought, she went on, "Suppose 
that you are in the water and that you pull 
on a rope which some one on the shore 
throws to you. As you pull on the rope, it 

3 2 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

might seem to you as if you were bringing 
the shore nearer, instead of you draw- 
ing nearer the shore. Thus our nearness 
to God is wholly due to our drawing nigh 
to Him by gaining a better understanding 
of Him." 

"Yes," assented the man, brightly, "I 
certainly understand that." After a pause, 
he asked, "What about your failures?" 

"As I illustrated in solving mathemati- 
cal problems," replied the Scientist, 
quickly, "so in our journey Godward. 
Should the right result not be immedi- 
ately apparent, it is not because God is 
wrong, nor because Christian Science is 
not true; but because we have either not 
been sufficiently obedient, or because we 
have not sufficient understanding." 

"What do you mean by being 'suffi- 
ciently obedient?' " continued the minister, 
with interest. 

"We have rules given us in the Book of 
Life, which we must follow, in order to 
attain the desired results in health, har- 
mony and happiness; and," she concluded 

33 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

earnestly, "we have these rules interpreted 
to us so clearly in our text book, 'Science 
and Health? that every man, woman and 
child can prove, in some degree, their 
truth." 

"Having that book, you have not much 
use for a minister's prayers, have you?" 
said the minister, jokingly. 

"I used to know a minister," replied the 
girl laughingly, "who prayed for nearly 
everybody on the face of the earth. He 
began with the royal families and the 
president and his cabinet, then included all 
the sick and sinful in the world, following 
with prayers for those listening, and finally 
making slight mention of himself. This 
never appealed to me, even before I knew 
of Christian Science. God does not bless 
us according to the length of our petitions; 
nor does He bless others upon our request. 
We should bless the world to a far greater 
extent, if we should think pure, health- 
ful and harmonious thoughts. Man 
should not presume to instruct God how 
to do His work, nor direct Him what to 

34 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

do in order to bless this one, or that one. 
Since God is omniscient, or all-knowing, 
man need never advise Him." 

"You would not have me believe that 
my prayers for my people, for these thirty 
years, have been worthless?" asked the 
minister, seriously. 

"I can simply tell you what I am learn- 
ing myself," returned the girl, gladly, 
"that we aid the sick only as we under- 
stand and destroy sickness as Jesus did; 
that we aid the sinner only as we show 
him his dominion over sin. We aid all 
mankind only as we send out thoughts of 
health, not sickness; of love and harmony, 
not of sin and discord; thoughts of life, not 
of death." 

"I see, I understand," he replied, very 
thoughtfully. 

"The persistent effort to put thoughts 
of hate, malice, jealousy, revenge, lust, 
self-righteousness, hypocrisy, and all other 
evils, out of the human mind, and to es- 
tablish thoughts of love, joy, peace, 
purity and meekness, is indeed the 

35 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

unceasing prayer; and it is establish- 
ing the kingdom of heaven on earth," con- 
cluded the Scientist, confidently. 

'Then you find that claiming the pos- 
session of all good, as Mrs. Eddy teaches, 
you gain more than to ask for it !" he re- 
marked, as if to reassure himself. 

"I want to tell you a little incident," the 
girl said. "In talking with a friend the 
other day, she questioned me as to a cer- 
tain experience which I had recently. She 
heard that I had been in a position of great 
danger and had been miraculously saved. 
She asked me if I did not pray then to be 
delivered safely. I told her I realized that 
God's child could not be injured; that 
there was no power outside of God, and 
that nothing could therefore harm me. 
She was amazed as she heard this and 
exclaimed, 'How presumptuous! I would 
have begged God to protect me!' I asked 
her to imagine the son of a king 
to be in company with those who 
did not recognize him. Would he beg of 
them not to injure him? or would he at 

36 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

once be conscious of his noble birth-rights, 
and assert his rights and put to flight 
his foes? This argument was new to my 
friend, yet I am sure she would admit, that 
it caused her to think more deeply on the 
subject. ' Whatsoever a man scweth, that 
shall he also reap! If we sow thoughts 
of fear, anxiety, doubt, discouragement, 
sickness, sin and death, we must inevita- 
bly reap these in effect. Whereas, if we 
sow thoughts directly opposite to these, 
they also will be manifested in results. In 
Christian Science, the sowing of spiritual 
thought is prayer, and the reaping is the 
answer." 

"Your ideas have opened to me an en- 
tirely new line of thought," said the minis- 
ter, quietly. "Will you tell me why in 
your testimonies of healing, there is no 
mention made of the blood of Jesus, which 
cleanses us from sin; or of his death on the 
cross?" 

"I am glad that you mention that," said 
the girl, in surprise. "I shall be glad to 
help you there. Jesus was the wayshower, 

37 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

the man who above all others lived and 
taught the truth. He healed the sick and 
sinful, raised the dead, and said, 'He that be- 
lieveth on me> the works that I do shall he 
do also! Indeed, we are grateful to him, 
our example, for the love, compassion 
and truth which he manifested for us; 
but," she continued, "the mere blood of 
Jesus did nothing for mortals, even though 
it was shed on the cross; nor has his 
human blood ever cleansed one mortal 
from sin." 

"But," interrupted the minister, "does 
not the Bible say that ' The blood of Jesus 
Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin? 
The Scripture teaches emphatically the 
saving efficacy of the blood of Jesus 
Christ." 

"Christian Science distinguishes be- 
tween Christ, the eternal idea of God, 'the 
same yesterday \ to-day > and forever! and 
Jesus who was born of Mary, and who, 
after a time, gave up his mortal selfhood 
by ascending to the Father. It dis- 
tinguishes between the ' blood of Christ ' 

38 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

and the 'blood of Jesus! We understand 
the blood of Jesus to have been the same 
as the blood of any other mortal, and we 
do not think that the blood of Jesus did 
anything for the salvation of the world. 
But Christian Science teaches that the 
Christ is spiritual; that the Christ is the 
Truth which heals the sick, casts out evils, 
and destroys sin, sickness and death/' 

"What do you understand by the 'blood 
of Christ'?" questioned the man. 

"The 'blood of Christ' is Love, Life, 
God; and divine Life, expressed through 
Christ, is the Saviour of the world. '/ am 
come that ye might have life^ and have it 
more abundantly* ! In John's gospel we 
read, 'Except ye eat the flesh (that is 
Spirit, Truth) of the Son of man, and 
drink his blood (that is, Life, Love), ye 
have no (true or eternal) life in you! ' 

"But, I do not yet understand how you 
believe sin to be destroyed," continued the 
minister. 

"Christian Science teaches that sin 
is never forgiven until it is destroyed 
in the human consciousness and entirely 

39 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

forsaken. The word 'forgive is made up 
of two words, 'give* and ' for'. Sin is for- 
given only as righteousness and truth are 
given for or in place of sin ; and thus sin is 
destroyed. We are infinitely grateful to 
our dear Master for showing us the way 
to eternal happiness, peace and immor- 
tality; but w r e do not look to his human 
personality, nor to his human blood. We 
look rather to his life, his deeds, his ex- 
ample. And likewise, we are grateful to 
that dear woman, who has shown a sin- 
laden w r orld how Jesus healed the sick, 
cast out devils and raised the dead." 

"There it is again!" said the minister, 
though in a very kind manner. "The Sci- 
entists can never talk about Christian 
Science without mentioning Mrs. Eddy. 
Though, after all, I do not wonder so much, 
if from her you learn all these wonderful 
things which you have been telling me 
about." 

"You would not expound the Sermon 
on the Mount to a layman without telling 
him that Jesus delivered it, would you? 

40 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

Nor would you tell him about the Ten 
Commandments and omit to mention that 
Moses wrote them?" 

"No," the minister answered, "indeed I 
would not. I must say," he admitted, as 
though he knew it to be a fact, "that 
Christian Scientists always have an ex- 
tensive knowledge of the Bible. Were 
you always a Bible student?" 

"No, indeed, I must admit, I was not," 
the girl replied. "I presume that I had 
not read a dozen chapters in the Bible in 
my whole life, until I came into Christian 
Science. I had often picked up the Bible 
to read it, but somehow it always appeared 
so much like a history-book to me — and 
I never did enjoy history," she added, with 
a decided nod of the head. "It made me 
feel sorrowful when I read, or heard read, 
all those beautiful works of Jesus and be- 
lieved that they could never be repeated. 
And what a joy, when I found out 
that every word which Jesus uttered is 
practical now! Indeed, I read my Bible 
every day. I would not feel that I could 

41 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

begin my day's work without it. Mrs. 
Eddy has opened the Scriptures for us, and 
for that alone we owe her endless grati- 
tude. Our hearts pulsate with love and 
thankfulness, as we think of the toil, sacri- 
fices and hardships she has suffered for 
humanity's sake. She has been so mis- 
understood, and, yes — cruelly and wicked- 
ly maligned." 

"But," interrupted the minister, "I 
should think that one so spiritual would 
be protected by the Almighty, and would 
be loved and honored by all." 

"Do you forget," replied the girl, "that 
even Jesus, that great exemplar of good- 
ness, was persecuted from city to city and 
crucified? He was denied, betrayed and 
deserted by the very ones whom he had 
toiled so hard to bless." 

"I am glad that you told me that," re- 
plied the minister, thoughtfully. "I don't 
see why I never thought of it in that light 
before. I know that you will give me the 
scolding I deserve," he remarked hesitat- 
ingly, "when I tell you, that I have ofter 

42 



JOURNEYLNG ONWARD 

thought of looking into Christian Science 
to see how all your fruits are made pos- 
sible; but something always holds me back 
when I think of a woman, instead of a man, 
being at the head of it." 

He might have been mistaken, yet he 
thought that a pained expression seemed 
to rest on her face for a brief moment. 
Looking thoughtfully at him, she said 
slowly: 

"Imagine yourself in a dungeon, dark, 
dismal, barren; yourself, cold, hungry, and 
wretched, bereft of all that makes life 
sweet. As you sit alone in pain and help- 
lessness, want and woe, you notice that the 
door which opens out of your dungeon is 
locked, bolted and secured in almost a 
hundred places ; so intricate are its fasten- 
ings* y°u ar e positive that you could never 
undo them all; and even as you make an 
attempt, you find your misery increased by 
despair. As you stand thus helpless — so 
alone — with the pangs of hunger, thirst 
and death staring you in the face, suddenly 
you are conscious of some one telling you 

43 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

that there is a way out, — a way to open the 
door and escape from the doom of death, 
and a way to find food, drink and joy with- 
out. You listen with heart-throbbing in- 
terest, as you hear that a woman has been 
in this same dungeon, and has found a 
way out; that she opened the door and 
found, Oh! such boundless freedom; and 
that she has left directions for opening the 
door for others. Even as you listen, you 
look around your dark and death-like cell 
again, and your hunger and thirst grow 
greater. You hear of the food, drink and 
shelter promised you, if you will but fol- 
low the directions given. Can it, oh, can 
it be true! You desperately decide to 
follow, no matter how tedious the work 
may be ; but even as you start to obey, you 
remember with sharp regret — it was a 
woman who first opened the door! You 
would be following the teachings of a 
woman, were you to obey the directions 
given you. You sit down on the cold floor 
to think. If it only were a man, how 

44 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

gladly you would make the attempt, but 
you could not — no, you could not obey the 
teachings of a woman, even though you 
were sure that it would bring the long de- 
sired freedom !" 

The girl had turned her face away 
while she was talking, and now, as she 
turned slowly toward him, she saw that 
she had answered his question. His man- 
ner was humble and his voice very low as 
he said: "The way you have spoken humili- 
ates me in my own eyes. May I ask you to 
interpret, in your way, that little story of 
yours. I almost know what you will say, 
but I want to hear it." 

There was no mistaking now the glad 
light in the girl's eyes, as she continued: 

"The dungeon is the dark, despairing 
thought of mortals, when all earthly props 
have been wrested from us, and only the 
door of death seems open to us. The door 
to health may be barred by material laws 
without number; the door to peace and 
happiness — Alas ! We dare not think what 
stands between us and that which we de- 

45 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

aire! As we are in this settled gloom, 
some one tells us that there is a key 
to all these locks and barriers which sep- 
arate us from our freedom; tells us of 
one who was so pure, so unselfish, so at- 
tuned to divine Love that she had found 
her way out of just such despairing dark- 
ness; and, more than that, that she has 
shown the way to others in order that they 
too may partake of this spiritual food, 
drink from this living fountain, and find 
health and peace." 

"And you would add," interrupted the 
minister, as if to himself, "that there are 
people who choose their misery, their ar- 
rogance and pride, rather than use the key, 
because the door has been opened by a wo- 
man." 

The young girl continued: "And after 
one had followed that dear woman, and 
through her teachings had unbarred the 
door of his dungeon and found God's own 
freedom without — could he, could you> 
journey from this darkness to light, from 
suffering to peace, from ignorance to un- 

a6 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

derstanding, without even a 'thank you' 
to her who had shown the way?" 

"Your little story has touched and hum- 
bled me," said the man. "One would cer- 
tainly be an ingrate who could refrain 
from giving thanks to such an one, be it 
man or woman. I cannot begin to tell you 
what your last few words have meant to 
me. My very first purchase, when I leave 
this train shall be a copy of Mrs. Eddy's 
book, 'Science and Health.' I shall read it 
gladly and I must confess in a much hum- 
bler attitude than I ever dreamed that I 
could reach. Your talk with me has given 
me a great desire to get this book, and find 
out how all these things of which you have 
told me are possible; and I believe you, 
when you say, that one must find out from 
your text book. I can never thank you 
enough for your wonderful kindness and 
patience. The time has flown so rapidly, 
that I have not realized the hours which 
we have spent in talking. I see that I 
am nearing my destination, and must now 
leave you," he said, rising, as the train 

47 



JOURNEYING ONWARD 

stopped. "I shall never forget your help- 
ful words and I know that we shall meet 
again." 

Looking into her face, he clasped her 
hand warmly, lifted his hat, and stepped 
from the train. 

The girl leaned back in her seat, re- 
joicing, because another hungry heart 
would now seek the Christ Truth and en- 
ter the true path to the "way of life." 




JUL 8 BOB 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: April 2006 

PreservationTechnoiogies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



